Industry debates self-booking trends in business travel
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Travel agent groups at a recent World Travel Market and Amadeus-hosted roundtable event questioned Amadeus’ claim that 66% of business travellers now book travel themselves and not through an agency.
Advantage’s corporate director Ken McLeod estimated that the figure would be around 25%, while GTMC CEO Paul Wait said large companies often take on an agency when they have less time to think about booking travel.
However, Expedia’s managing director UK & Ireland Andy Washington thinks 40% of business travel is unmanaged, with many secretaries heading to sites like its own to book travel.
Unmanaged travel booking in the business sector has been a consistent theme in the challenges currently faced by the TMC sector, with some believing that a consumer-approach to booking business travel will help reign in policy compliance. This could include more mobile apps and tools that are similar to the consumer-facing online travel agencies.
Meanwhile, the group agreed that business travellers are less likely to share hotel recommendations, preferring to keep what they deem is the best to themselves.
The industry bosses believe those on business would not give social media websites like TripAdvisor much thought when choosing a hotel and will keep their favourites to themselves so they can revisit with the same rate.
“If everyone goes to it [the hotel], it pushes the price up. A leisure traveller doesn’t go back to a hotel they recommend, a business traveller goes back time and time again,” explained Ken McLeod, corporate director at Advantage.
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